Maxwell to be honored for international achievement

Elisabeth Maxwell, Beaumont biology major and Lamar Ambassador, will receive the Marian Beane/Charles Gliozzo Domestic Student Award for International Achievement. This is an award given by the Phi Beta Delta International Scholars Honors Society to one student member at the national level. Maxwell will accept the award at the society’s national convention in North Carolina April 11-13.

Maxwell spent three months on the coast of South Africa working with a shark conservancy in 2011 and spent the summer in Mozambique working with a Marine Mega Fauna field research station in 2012 as part of her research for the Beck Fellowship, Lamar’s most prestigious undergraduate honor.

Maxwell said she was surprised and honored when she received word she was selected to receive the award.

“I feel like this award is more about all of the people who have helped me to get to where I am,” she said. “I didn’t get myself to Mozambique. A lot of others worked really hard to get me there, and I was just able to have the experience. So this is not just an award for me, but for everyone who helped me and celebrating their work as well.”

Catalina Castillon, president of the Lamar University PBD Beta Xi Chapter, said the award is a great accomplishment for Maxwell and the Beta Xi Chapter.

“It is a great honor for our Beta Xi chapter,” she said. “It fills us with pride and places us in the international map. Elisabeth competed at the National level against students from other universities with PBD chapters. We are very proud and happy for Elisabeth and our chapter.

The Beta Xi Chapter will also honor Maxwell at its annual induction ceremony Monday, April 15th, at 2 p.m. in the University Reception Center of the Mary and John Gray Library. Nine faculty members and nine students will be inducted during the ceremony, being recognized for their outstanding international academic work.

Uliana Trylowsky, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Jefferson County, will receive an honorary induction into the chapter for international service. Trylowski will speak at the ceremony.